The Eye of The Storm
by Turretwithaview
Summary: The tyres hissed over the tarmac as the rain continued to fall, blurring lights and deadening the usual city sounds, the rhythmic thump …. thump …. thump of the wipers as they reached the end of each arc clashing with the hectic beating of her heart.
1. Chapter 1

**EYE OF THE STORM**

The tyres hissed over the tarmac as the rain continued to fall, blurring lights and deadening the usual city sounds, the rhythmic thump …. thump …. thump of the wipers as they reached the end of each arc clashing with the hectic beating of her heart.

Beckett dropped a gear, felt the back of the car step out as she took the corner way too fast and then she was flooring the accelerator, flicking her wrist for a bit of opposite lock and then feeling the tyres grip and pull the car straight as she headed down the next stretch. The few cars ahead of her were quickly pulling to one side, the flashing blue light on her dashboard for once doing its job. To her right, the trees of East River Park gave way to the blurred expanse of the East River itself as FDR Drive curved round to follow the shore, the lights of Hunter's Point winking through the curtain of rain.

Approaching the next curve in the road she could make out the emergency vehicle lights up ahead and for the first time since she had dived into her car she lifted her foot off the accelerator, bringing the car to a stop just behind a patrol unit. She was out of it and flashing her badge even as a Uniform approached her, then she was past him and striding quickly to the edge of the road overlooking the bikeway.

The crane, straddling the road just before the Exit 7 sign was already hoisting the vehicle over the concrete division separating the road from the bikeway and the East River below. Water poured out of the open passenger door as the car swung like some ungainly catch on the end of the boom.

Beckett felt someone pulling on her arm and turned to see the same Uniform urging her to move back …. Kental she saw on his tag … Officer Kental … she swung back to look at the car but allowed herself to be led back far enough to clear the area where the car was going to be deposited.

As the creaking chassis settled on its tyres, the passenger door swung slightly closed, water still pouring out from different points and running in rivulets along the already soaked roadway. Pulling her arm free from the officer's hold and oblivious to the shouts around her, Beckett ran to the passenger door and swung it open to peer inside. It was empty, no body strapped into the driver's seat, no one in the back … then she was being pulled back, an angry face asking her what the hell she was doing, wasn't she aware of the danger of a chain snapping or some ….. Kental was beside her, appeasing the angry face under the hard hat, pulling her back, turning her away from the empty car and leading her to the passenger seat of his own vehicle.

It was several minutes before she became aware that the squatting figure of Officer Kental had been replaced by the leaning down figure of Detective Gonzalez from the 13th. She knew a little about Joe Gonzalez, like most Detectives knew a little about the others on the force, a mix of rumours, stories and meetings during combined ops or at end of year parties, and what she had heard did not displease her.

She looked up at the walnut brown wrinkled face with the slightly too-big moustache and the penetrating black olive eyes which were now peering at her from below the brim of an old-fashioned trilby. Detective Gonzalez was getting close to retirement but was reputed to be as dogged now as he had been when he first started and Beckett knew he was no fool … nor did he take kindly to fools or other precincts sticking their noses into 13th's patch.

For several moments they stared at each other, neither saying anything, both conveying much. Then with a nod of his head he straightened up and signalled her to get into her own car. He waited until she was settled in her seat before turning to the scene of the accident and walking over to the tall, lanky detective taking notes as he talked to the Uniforms standing beside the beached car.

From her seat, Beckett, uncaring or unaware of her bedraggled appearance, watched as the craning cables and chains were released and the boom retracted. Almost immediately the CSU tow truck was backing its way up to the vehicle, the police photographer moving out of the way to allow them to attach the hook and pull the car up onto the bed before slinging a tarpaulin cover over the wreck.

It was the opening of the passenger door which brought her to her senses and made her realise she was gripping the steering wheel like her life depended on it. By the time the Detective had settled into the seat and slammed the door shut, she had had time to pull herself together and build up her defences.

Joe Gonzalez ignored her for several minutes as he flicked through the pages of his notebook, water drops splashing off the brim of his trilby, the regular beat of raindrops on the roof the only immediate sound. The beeping of reversing vehicles, the yells and the calls, the firing up of engines, all the noise going on outside curiously muffled by rain and the confines of her car.

With a sigh he flipped the book closed, pulled the top of his raincoat aside and slipped it into his breast pocket before settling back and turning his whole body towards her. They stared at each other in silence and she could have sworn she saw his lips twitch for a fraction of a second before the immutable mask slipped back in place.

"_Call was made from a barge seeing the headlights flying over the edge and into the water. No other witnesses, at least none that have come forward yet. Must have been doing well over ninety to smash through the barrier like that. Impact was taken by the right front corner which doesn't explain the damage to the left front panel and driver's door. No traces of occupant or occupants. Divers are dredging the river and the MSB are checking currents and working out possible drift and distance. CSU will be crawling all over the car as soon as its back … we may get something more off them over the next hours_."

His quiet voice came to stop, the dark eyes observing her as he passed on the bare bones of the little information they had gathered over the last couple of hours. Now he was silently informing her, it was her turn.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Beckett forced herself to relax, or at least to give that appearance. She turned her head to look out the window, a pointless task she realised as her eyes followed a rivulet of water down the glass, the occasional, distorted headlights of a passing car glistering off the droplets that masked the view almost as much as smokescreens and mirrors were apparently masking the reality of this case.

"_Any trace on the plates?_" she turned her head to look at the other detective. He was observing her and she tried to keep her own face as expressionless as his.

"_False, Detective, but then I expect you were aware of that_" There was no inquiry in the tone, it was flat, unemotional. "_I expect CSU will eventually trace the chassis number, not that I expect that to tell us much_."

Beckett ran her fingers through her hair before letting out a sigh and closing her eyes. The rain on the rooftop continued its hectic beating as the windows began to mist up, blurring the edge between reality and fiction even more. Eventually she turned to face Detective Gonzalez.

"_That car was being used by … we think … an out-of-state killer … a sniper. We were getting close to him … were hoping he'd lead us to the client and that that in turn would tell us who the victim might be_ …" she shrugged, "… _now, we're back to square one … in fact worse than square one … has he survived or hasn't he … will they call in someone else? Call off the whole thing?_"

There was an undertone of incredulity, of anger in his voice as he said "_I'd expect the FBI to be running this show, not the 12__th__!_"

Beckett looked him in the eye "_They are, the FBI I mean, only it appears they screwed up with this guy back in Iowa …. tipped their hand and the guy disappeared. They don't want the same to happen again,_" she shrugged "_or else they want a scapegoat this time, so were fronting for them._"

Gonzalez snorted in disgust, she could tell he wasn't really buying it, but there was just enough logic in it to make it possible. She watched him rub the back of his hand on the window, enough to clear a patch on the misted up glass for him to peer out of.

After a while he turned back to face her, regarding her with those dark eyes that gave nothing away. He held her stare for several moments before shrugging "_Ok, I'll buy it for now Detective, but only because of your reputation. Just make sure all the paperwork is in order when you come to collect the car!_"

"_Uh, no-one will be coming to collect the car Joe, it's your case, your's to follow through, unless the FBI calls in to see you. As far as the 12__th__ is concerned, it's your jurisdiction …. although I'd appreciate a heads-up if anything pops_"

For a moment she saw confusion on his face …. he had not been expecting that! He seemed about to say something, hesitated and then shrugged. "_I'll keep you informed of any important developments Beckett, drive back to the 12__th__ safety!_".

The last came as an undisguised 'get out of my patch' and Kate was glad enough to do that, Joe Gonzalez was not someone to take lightly. Turning on the engine of her car she killed the blue dash light and got the demisters going. As soon as it was clear enough for her to see where she was going, she reversed and then pulled out to clear the remaining emergency and police vehicles still at the scene.

Soon she was heading back into the centre, her fist beating against the wheel in a slow, involuntary reflection of the tenseness in her body. The sudden interruption of her phone ringing on the seat beside her nearly made her swerve across the lane. Grabbing it she glanced at the caller ID and was unable to keep the hopelessness from showing on her face when she saw who it was.

"_Anything Ryan?_" she listened to what he had to say, not much apparently. With a "_Be there in twenty_" she cut the call and dropped the phone on the seat again.

Striding out of the lift into the bullpen she waved her hand at Ryan and Sullivan indicating the conference room where the FBI had set up their War Room. As Sullivan got to his feet he knocked a half-eaten burger off his desk onto the floor. Beckett didn't miss the pained look on Ryan's face as he stepped round the mess which 'Sully' was trying to desperately clear up. "_Leave it for now, the boss wants us!_"

As soon as they entered the War Room Kate knew there was no news. The shoulders were hunched, backs tense, eyes scanning screens and readouts. She stopped next to Agent Latimer and he turned to face her, shaking his head. Kate took a step forwards to stand in front of the wall screen showing the satellite imaging of the East River and the surrounding area. The white dots and shapes of river craft showed up brightly against the darker mass of water, the shoreline in contrast was a mass of white lights and moving specks as the infra-red imagery showed the current bustle of New York.

Eventually she turned away, asked Latimer to let her know if anything cropped up and jerking her head at the two detectives led them back out to the bullring. A look at Ryan's face told her there was still no news, so she gave them specific instructions and turned to go.

"_Beckett … _" Ryans voice stopped her and she half turned to look back at him "… _he'll be ok, he always is!_" For a moment she stared back at him her eyes too big for her face, then she nodded, closing her eyes for a second before giving him a wan smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Driving down into the underground car park, Kate pulled into her spot … well Castle's spot; the Ferrari long ago consigned to a livery place a few streets away. With a sigh she climbed out of her car, locked the door and headed for the lift.

Exiting the lift she made her way along the hallway, slowing her steps as she reached the door. She stood there for a few moments, marshalling her thoughts and schooling her face before taking a deep breath and pushing the key into the lock. Closing the door behind her she saw Martha busy with her pots and pans at the stove but turned to the stairs as she heard the quick steps of Alexis.

"_Hey Kate, just in time for one of Gram's experiments! Ready to risk your life?_" It was almost too much, but she was just about able to keep it together as Alexis threw her arm round her waist and led them both towards the kitchen.

"_Hello Katherine dear, I wish you wouldn't listen to this ungrateful child, I've been slaving over hot pots all afternoon and I guarantee you'll find it delicious! Any news from Richard yet? When can we expect him back?_"

Kate managed to swallow the lump in her throat and just shook her head, quickly changing the subject, "_Look Martha, just give me time to have a shower and get changed and I'll give you a hand_" giving them both a strained smile and heading quickly for the office and her sanctuary beyond. The two redheads stared at the closing office door and then looked at each other reflectively. There was worry on both faces and Alexis was the first to voice it.

"_Did that strike you as weird?_"

"_Well it certainly wasn't like our usual Katherine of late ... oh, I do wish your father would get back from whatever that place is_ ..."

"_Sacandaga Lake, well you know dad, rumours of a bigfoot sighting and he's off!_"

"_Oh really! When is he going to grow up!_"

Kate closed the bedroom door behind her and flopped down on the bed. She pulled her phone out and hit the speed dial ...

'_We are sorry to inform you that the number you are trying to reach _...'

"_Hell! Come on! Answer for god's sake!_"

Blowing out her cheeks, Kate released her pent up breath before pushing herself up off the bed and stripping. Once in the shower she turned it on full, felt the water jets biting into her skin, washing away the day's grime and tension though not unfortunately the underlying sense of helplessness. She propped her arms against the tiling and rested her head on her forearms, she was going to indulge herself, allow herself some tears and then pull herself together.

Fifteen minutes later she was brushing her hair and studying her face in the mirror for any sign of red eyes or other tell-tale signs. Satisfied, she entered the bedroom and went in search of one of Castle's T-shirts, she needed to present a normal front ... and that was one basic element.

By midnight she was worn out. Beckett felt that she had stood up to the test pretty well; she knew both Martha and Alexis were worried about her, but she had managed to get through the evening without giving herself away. Looking round the loft she sighed and began to turn the lights off as she headed for the bedroom.

For the umpteenth time she tried the phone ... and still the recorded voice was giving her the same message! She could feel a headache coming on, but rather than go to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom, she crawled into bed and pulled the comforter over her, turned the lights off and tried to get some sleep. She knew she wouldn't be able to, but at least she could try.

It was gone three when the buzzing of her phone woke her. She made a grab for it, fumbled and managed to knock it onto the floor. By now she was wide awake and kicking her feet out from under the cover she managed to lean down and pick the phone up.

The number was unknown but she didn't hesitate to hit the answer button.

"_Hey_"

"_Oh Jesus! It's you! Are you ok?_"

"_Yeah, a bit cold and tired, but I'm alright. Castle there?_"

"_No ... he should be back tomorrow morn... well, later on this morning, but ._.. "

"_I know it's not the best time .._." his voice trailed off

"_No, that's ok, look how long would it take you to get here?_"

"_Maybe half an hour, forty minutes tops_"

"_Ok, go round to the garage entrance, I don't want Eduardo or the security cameras seeing you, I'll leave the door remote left corner, behind the bollard. When you get up to the loft, make sure you don't make any noise when you come in, both Martha and Alexis are upstairs_"

"_Ok, be there as soon as possible_" with that the line went dead and Beckett sat staring into space for several minutes.

It didn't take her long to change into a pair of jeans, pull a sweater on over the T-shirt, slip her feet into trainers and remove her Glock from the office safe. Then, careful to make as little noise as possible she sneaked out of the loft, went down the stairs so as to avoid the noise of the lift and headed down into the car park. She dropped the remote into a small plastic bag and then used it to open the door. As soon as it had risen enough for her to slip under, she took a step through, pressed the close button and dropped the bag behind the bollard. She was back inside before the door had come to a stop and then reversed direction. Waiting till the door clunked shut, Kate made her way back up to the loft, shutting but not locking the door behind her.

She moved to the couch and sat down, one foot under her, before placing her phone on the cushion beside her the gun on the arm rest. Then she sat back, making herself breathe slowly, calming her jittery nerves.

The light scratching on the door warned her, then it swung open and he was silhouetted in the doorway before he stepped inside and quietly closed the door behind him. Kate was on her feet and even as he went to take a cautious step forwards she had her arms around him in a crushing hug.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"_Hey boss_" whispered Esposito hugging her back, "_I'm glad to see you too …. But would you mind letting me breathe_"

Kate huffed a laugh before letting him go "_Sorry Javi, but when you didn't get in touch we all feared the worst. Look, before we go into the office, can I get you anything? Coffee, soup?_"

"_Coffee would be great, thanks, that water was cold, in spite of the suit_".

Five minutes later they were in the office, the door to the sitting room closed behind them, a towel hanging over the desk lamp to mute its light even further. Each held a mug of coffee and sat facing each other on the office couch.

"_OK, well first things first Espo, what happened?_"

Esposito took a big sip of coffee, let the warmth and caffeine permeate his senses, before answering.

"_I waited in the slip road by the pump station as arranged. Had a pretty good view along that straight stretch of FDR and was able to monitor the traffic. As soon as I got the signal, I waited for a clear road, took off and headed for the bend._" Here he paused, shaking his head and unconsciously rubbing his chest.

"_I don't know if those guys didn't make a good enough job of weakening the barrier or if I hit the wrong strip, but the impact was worse than I expected. The airbag went off, but the impact was so heavy the scuba gear broke free, I was lucky it didn't get flung out through the door_."

"_Javi, you need a doctor or anything?_"

He shook his head, "_Nothing that won't heal Beckett, I'm ok, seriously._ _Anyway, the airbag did its job at first but once we hit the water and started sinking the damn thing was just getting in the way. By the time I'd got my knife out and managed to deflate it, the car was just going under. That was when I found the air tank had broken loose ... boy, for a moment I thought I was in trouble, then I saw it down on the floor._"

He paused for another gulp of coffee and Beckett waited him out. Her mind went back to her and Castle's own immersion in the river ... how it was once again her irrepressible fiancé who had saved her life ... too many times now to keep track of. With an almost imperceptible shudder she brought her thoughts back to the present. If Espo had noticed her momentary weakness he gave no sign of it, continuing with his unofficial report.

"_Then the damn seatbelt wouldn't release, the impact must have affected it ..._" he gave a grimace "..._ for a while I got worried there, I couldn't reach the tank on the floor, the seatbelt was stuck, the sliced airbag kept wrapping itself around me, the car was sinking and there was hardly any light left to see with ..._" he gave a shrug, ".._. I knew that a sliced open seatbelt would look suspicious, but I was getting to where it was the only option left_".

Kate put her hand out and gripped his wrist "_We'd have worked round it Javi_".

He nodded before continuing "_Anyway, my 'abuela' must have been looking after me, I was getting the knife ready to cut the belt but decided to give it one last go ... and the damn thing just popped open!_"

"_Boy, I was glad to get hold of the respirator ... I didn't have an ounce of air left in my lungs!_" Another sip of coffee and he placed the now empty mug on the floor by his foot. "_Anyway, I just sat there and waited for the car to settle on the bottom ... mind you it was getting freakishly cold down there in spite of the suit. That was when I found the phone had been smashed. Although I couldn't see further than my nose I managed to find the bag taped to the dash and pulled it loose, but as soon as I got my hand round it I could tell there was something wrong. I guess we should have put it in the other bag with the clothes, I suppose the scuba gear must have smashed into it when it broke loose ... just one more screw-up!_" he sighed.

"_Another coffee, something to eat?_"

"_No thanks boss, I'm good. Where was I? Oh yeah, once I was ready to go I slipped out the passenger door ... just as well we'd wedged it open before taking the run, the impact would have buckled it too much. Problem was, as soon as I surfaced the place was crawling with river cops ... I thought the call-in was supposed to give me time to get away?_"

"_Wasn't us, apparently a barge skipper was on the radio to the Port Authority at the moment you went into the river, he called it in .._."

"_Uhuh_" he nodded "_meant I had to go down and move away underwater, let the current carry me. Couple of times I moved towards the shore but then I'd see torches or patrol lights. Eventually I decided to head across the river and came out at Greenpoint. At least it wasn't a problem to get rid of the gear amongst all the junk there, problem was that all the public phones ware trashed. Took me a hell of a long walk and a load of dodging behind cover before I managed to find an isolated and working phone._"

With that Esposito, sat back and laid his head on the back of the couch. Kate grabbed the coffee mugs off the floor, stood up and headed for the kitchen. She checked for sound of disturbance from above, but not hearing anything carried on with making more coffee.

Returning to the study she handed a mug to Espo who took it with a nod, he was worn out but would need to keep going a little longer and caffeine was the best way. Beckett went to Castle's desk, rooted around in a couple of the drawers and eventually grunted in satisfaction. She pulled out a cheap mobile phone along with the charger and plugged them in. Glancing up she saw Espo looking at her with a faint grin on his face and nodded, smiling back, it was the burner phone Castle had acquired after disposing of the one used when Tyson had kidnapped her a couple of years back (*). Only she, Espo, Castle and Hunter, his dad, knew the full facts behind that episode, and it had created a special bond between them.

Sitting down at the desk, she picked up her own phone and dialled the special number. It rang only twice before she heard "_Agent Latimer, any news Detective Beckett?_"

"_Our friend is ok_"

"_What! ... where? Bring him in, we need to talk!_"

"_Negative Latimer, I'll debrief and pass the info on_"

"_Not good enough Detective, we need to know what happened so we can plan accordingly!_"

"_Mission remains on course..._" she looked inquiringly at the detective on the couch and receiving a nod, continued "..._ I'll be in shortly to report_" and with that cut the call.

"_They're not going to like that_" said a grinning Esposito

Kate shrugged, "_It was what was agreed, they run the background show, I run my team. If they don't like it they can get another precinct to do their dirty work_".

Standing up she headed for the bedroom, "_I'll just get changed, you need to use the bathroom or anything?_" Seeing his shake his head she headed for the bedroom, closing the door behind her, leaving Esposito to stretch out on the couch and close his eyes.

It didn't take her long to change into her work clothes, and minutes later she was out in the study, shoes in hand to avoid making any unnecessary noise. She carried one of Rick's pads out to the kitchen, turned on one of the overhead lights and after blinking and waiting for her eyes to adjust to the suddenly brightness, quickly scribbled a note for Alexis and Martha; she knew they had gone to bed worried about her and if they came down and found her gone in the middle of the night they might even start panicking, and if there was one thing she had learnt over the last few years it was not to get the Castle women overly worked up.

Propping the note up against the coffee machine she turned off the light and returned to the study. A quick check showed the phone half charged, so she unplugged it all, wound the cable round the charger and placed both on the corner of the desk. Opening the safe, she took out her badge, holster and cuffs, slipped them onto her belt and then picked up her Glock from where she'd left it out on the sitting room couch.

With a last look around she turned to Esposito and pointed to the phone on the desk. "_That should do you until we can sort out a replacement. I'll call you before the news flash goes out so you can make your call. Anything you need or want to sort out before we go?_"

He began to shake his head then stopped "_How's Ryan taking it?_"

She grinned, "_You know Kevin, everything's cool out front … but he's having kittens. I'll let him know his partner's ok as soon as he comes in._"

Espo grinned back at her and nodded as he got to his feet, picked up the phone and charger and slipped them into his pocket. Finding something in there he pulled it out and then realising what it was handed it to Beckett. Kate took the garage remote, switched off the lights and followed the other Detective out of the loft.

* * *

**_AN: (*) Story in ROLE REVERSAL_**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Checking that no vehicles were in the vicinity, Becket pulled over to the side of the road in a patch of darkness where a broken street light added to the gloom. "_Ok, I'll contact you as soon as I have anything … and Espo_ …" the detective paused as he was about to climb out of the car "… _be carefull!_"

She watched him disappear into the darkness and falling rain before pulling out and heading to the precinct. She felt tired, could do with some sleep, preferably with Castle's arms around her, but if the FBI was right and this had to do with the Summit meeting in four days' time, they needed to find out who the target was … and quickly.

As she entered the bullpen she glanced at the clock on the wall, 5:15, the graveyard watch would be calling it a day in a couple of hours and the next shift would be making their way in. She could feel the grit in her eyes from lack of sleep, but this is what she did best, the long hours, the pressure, the knife-edge between success and failure that gave her such a rush when she got it right. She glanced at the empty chair next to her desk as she pulled her jacket off and slung it over the back of her own chair. He'd be back today, another glance at the clock … probably in about six hours' time. She no longer had trouble admitting it to herself, or to those close to her, she always felt better when he was there beside her. With a sigh she straightened her shoulders and headed for the war room.

The chit-chat of electronics created a busy background noise which contrasted with the human silence in the room. Beckett watched, coffee in hand, as agents read through lists of passengers, checked faces of new arrivals at airports, train stations and docks, the facial recognition software scanning and comparing faces against known criminals and suspects was much faster and effective than the human eye, but still the men and women checked and double-checked just in case.

Agent Valero was going over the floor plans to the Conference Centre for about the fifteenth time, whilst Agent Quyen studied the exteriors of the building, looking at fields of view, angles and exits; desperately trying to second-guess a shooter's choice of position; if indeed it was a shooter and not some other means of extermination that was to be used.

Latimer had been called away for a meeting with his superiors which was why she'd yet to get bawled out for her behaviour regarding Javi, but she didn't really care. She'd made a decision and would stick by it. Her team came first; she'd learnt it the hard way after her stint in DC and her sacking. The FBI could go bark up a tree as far as she was concerned.

Movement in the bullpen drew her attention and quick glance at the clock on the wall showed it to be almost seven thirty. She walked out and saw Ryan rubbing his eyes as he dropped his weapon into his draw and slipped out of his raincoat. She tapped him on the shoulder and jerked her head towards the break room. Ryan followed her silently and closed the door behind him as Beckett scooped some coffee into the portafilter and slid a couple of cups under it. She turned to him and smiled, "_Javi's ok, I just wanted you to know, but keep it to yourself, ok?_"

Ryan's shoulders dropped and the tension drained out of his body as he leant back against the wall. "_What happened?_"

"_The phone got smashed when he went over and then he had to head across river, it took him several hours to contact me_".

She handed him a coffee and he nodded his head in thanks. "_I knew he was too tight to get killed without asking me for the twenty bucks I owe him!_" he answered, the relief being covered up with typical police humour.

Just then the lift doors opened and disgorged Agent Latimer, two other men, obviously also FBI, the DA and Captain Gates, "_Huh! The big guns are here Kevin, I'd better go get keelhauled_" with which she put her cup down and stepped out.

Ryan watched through the glass as an angry-faced Latimer began waving his finger and saying something to Beckett. Iron Gates interrupted him, and whatever she said caused him to stop mid-sentence before acceding with a tight face and following the Captain into her office.

Beckett closed the door behind her and waited till the Captain, the DA and Latimer had each taken a seat. The two men accompanying Latimer had remained outside, backs to the door which had made her smile … maybe they thought the cops of the twelfth would kick Latimer's ass if they weren't there.

She remained standing, partly because there were no more chairs available, but mainly because standing, like her high heels, gave her the confidence needed to face down the powers that be who were presently staring at her from their seated positions. She knew the Captain would be on her side, the DA she was unsure of, Latimer was obviously going to be the problem one, so she started by ignoring him and looking to the DA and Gates.

"_Detective Javier Esposito phoned me at around three-twenty this morning," she began, "he reported that there had been a problem with the phone getting smashed by the air tank breaking loose on impact. The fact that the accident was called in immediately meant that he didn't have time to get away as planned_ …" the look she gave Latimer not missed by those present "… _he had to make it across to Greenpoint, hide the gear in amongst the junk at the warehouses there and find a working phone_."

"_Given that he was ok, and the rest of the plan seemed to be holding, I decided to let him continue. I happened to have a burner phone_ …" here she didn't miss the raised eyebrows of the DA but continued, "… _so I passed it on to him and dropped him off_ on _Houston._" She checked her watch "_The news bulletin will be broadcast at nine am on the dot; he'll make the call about ten minutes beforehand_."

"_You still should have checked back with me Detective, it was not your call to make!_" said a still angry Latimer.

"_My team, my call. That was the agreement agent. If you don't like it, I suggest you go talk to the thirteenth!_" She bit back

Gates held up her hand to stall any further argument but was pre-empted by the DA. "_Detective Beckett, you feel that the plan can still work? That Detective Esposito can pull it off?_"

She nodded; "_If they take the bait, he can_ …" then shrugging, "… _if they don't_ …" she trailed off.

The DA turned to Agent Latimer "_Have your people pulled up anything that may lead you to believe they know we're coming? Anything that can lead us to discovering the target by any other means?_"

Reluctantly, Latimer shook his head. "_Nothing so far sir_"

The DA turned to Gates, "_Captain?_"

Gates stood up, running her hands down her hips to straighten her skirt. "_If Detective Beckett says everything is still on track then I have every confidence in her and her team to complete the mission … assuming that is the FBI doesn't screw up again!_"

The rather pointed reminder made the DA wince and Agent Latimer colour up. Kate had to hide a smile as she turned to exit the office, the meeting obviously at an end.

At five to nine Beckett, Ryan, Iron Gates, the DA and Latimer made their way into the spare conference room and turned on the TV to the local WKBS news station. A morning cookery program was just coming to an end and as the credits rolled, each of those present looked for somewhere to sit or lean against.

The nine o´clock news bulletin led with the usual spinning view of New York as the camera panned away before fading to the newsreader in the studio. Her over-bright smile, over-bright fuchsia jacket and over-bright voice usually grated on Kate's nerves, but today she could ignore it. They waited out the usual recital of news headlines and co-worker presentations before leaning forward as a shot of the FDR Drive running along the East River took over the screen, the camera sweeping from left to right before coming to a halt and zooming in on the reporter holding an umbrella and standing in front of a green sign saying Exit 7.

"_Good morning Vicky, and as you say, I'm here at exit seven on FDR Drive next to the conEddison power plant where police are investigating a strange accident which occurred late last night. A black Dodge Avenger appeared to crash through the barriers between the exit lane and the bikeway as you can see here_ …" she pointed sideways and the camera dutifully followed her pointing hand to show viewers the partially demolished barrier "… _before landing in the river. A barge just off the Patrick J Brown point behind me saw the car hit the water and notified the police. Due to the rain which has fallen all night and into this morning, police investigators have been unable to find any clear cause to explain the accident, though they do believe a second vehicle may have been involved._"

Pulling a strand of hair away from her mouth as a gust of wind pulled at the umbrella in her hand, the reported moved back away from the barrier towards the Exit 7 sign, before continuing.

"_With me I have Captain Kohltz of the thirteenth precinct who can tell us a bit more about this and what the NYPD are looking for, Captain ..?_"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The camera which had been following the reporter as she moved across the exit lane settled on the rotund figure of Captain Kohltz, who stood about three inches taller than the diminutive journalist and looked as if he'd rather be facing a firing squad.

"_Well Kaitlin, we are appealing for witnesses who may have been in the area between eleven and midnight last night. The incident occurred at eleven thirty-five and the vehicle involved was, as you just stated a black Dodge Avenger with false number plates, we are following a number of leads in that direction. There was some damage to the driver's side of the car where our people have found remains of red paint which may or may not be significant or relevant; however, if anyone saw or heard something we would like them to contact us as soon as possible."_

_"And Captain, what news of the occupants of the vehicle?" _

_"All I can tell you is that we know from traffic cameras that there was at least one occupant, the driver, however, when the car was pulled out of the river, there was no-one inside it. Divers have been searching the river all night and into the morning, but as yet they've found nothing. We have no further information so far, which is why we are appealing for witnesses to come forwards_."

"_Thank you Captain Kohltz_" turning back to the camera the reporter finished up with "_well Vicky that's all from the scene of the accident, we'll be back with more updates throughout the day _…"

Gates stood up and turned the TV off before turning to the room. "_Ok, talk to your teams, follow any leads, let's see if we can get somewhere before the full briefing this evening. Beckett, my office._" And with that she turned and left.

A scowling Latimer stood to one side to allow Beckett through before heading for the war room, his mood not improved on seeing the DA follow the Captain and Detective into her office.

As soon as the door was closed, Gates sat down indicating that the others should follow suit. Gates looked at Kate. "_So Beckett, you think Detective Esposito made contact?_"

Kate nodded, "_He certainly would have tried, sir. How successful or otherwise he's been will depend on how desperate they are and whether they've already been able to line up a substitute or not"_.

Turning to the DA the Captain asked "_What about the State Department, have they been able to get anywhere?_"

Felix Denton, District Attorney and political aspirant raised a hand and then let it drop back onto the armrest. "_They've contacted all the governments sending delegates and have supposedly got the CIA, NSA and Homeland listening out for any chatter. Unfortunately the targets are so numerous that finding the client is going to require a miracle!_"

"_Ok, well Beckett, let me know as soon as you have any news, we'll reconvene at lunchtime unless anything breaks beforehand_."

"_Sir_" With that Kate got to her feet and returned to the bullpen. She glanced at the murder board but of course it was empty, this case was under wraps and would remain so until the full briefing later on in the day, meaning that information was presently being kept on a need-to-know level. It made it awkward because undoubtedly there would be a fair amount of duplicated work being carried out, but …"

Her phone buzzed, she looked at it and saw a text message from an unknown number. Opening it up there was just one word "Contact". Slipping the phone back into her pocket she returned to the Captain's office, knocked on the door and on getting the "_Enter_" from Gates pushed the door open, entered and closed it behind her.

"_Just had a message sir, Detective Esposito has made contact_"

"_Thank you Beckett, now let's just hope they take the bait!_"

Back at her desk Kate thumbed through another file full of phone records, carefully running her finger down the column of numbers hoping to recognise the one they were looking for. She occasionally glanced at the clock which seemed to be marking time. She looked up as someone placed a cup of coffee on the desk. Ryan smiled apologetically and she thanked him before continuing with her file.

About ten minutes later Agent Quyen appeared by her side, "_Detective, I think we may have something_." Beckett stood up and followed him to the War Room. Latimer looked up at her as she entered, before straightening up and handing her a piece of printout. She saw it was a transcript of a phone call, the number the call was made from being one of those they had tapped, the other shown as unknown. The call had been made about ten minutes earlier and was very brief;

Caller: _Problems, we need to talk, call me back asap._

"_Anything on the other number?_"

"_We're tracing it, but if it's a burner phone_ .." Latimer shrugged.

"_Well, at least it looks like they are reacting!_" answered Beckett, "_Maybe they'll get careless_".

"_Let's hope so,_" said Latimer as he turned back the screen where one of the agents was scrolling through a list of numbers.

It was mid-morning before the lift pinged and a tired looking Castle stepped out. Kate was up, out of her seat and had an arm round his waist before he'd even taken half a dozen steps. Ryan, observing them had to smile, he watched them as they headed straight to the break room and seeing Sully heading for the same place called him over.

"_I was just about to get a coffee, Kevin_"

"_Yeah, Sully, but I just need you to give me a hand with these folders, you mind putting that lot over on Espo's desk? I've got so many here they keep falling off onto the floor_". Sullivan gave him a doubtful look but said nothing as he grabbed the pile of files indicated and moved them across to the other desk. As soon as his back was turned, Kevin pushed three folders off his table and with a "_Hey! Carefull Sully!_" was soon bent over picking up loose sheets of paper. Sully, a slightly puzzled if somewhat embarrassed look on his face crouched down to help pick up the scattered sheets and folders.

In the break room Kate gave Castle another kiss and ran her thumbs gently over his eyes as she cradled his face between her hands. They both huffed a laugh as they saw Ryan tip the folders off the table behind Sully's back and took the moment for a further, discreet bit of PDA.

By the time everything was sorted Castle and Beckett were exiting the break room, coffees in hand. Ryan winked as Kate mouthed a silent _Thank you_ and watched Sully's retreating back.

Kate sat in her seat and Castle literally flopped into his as Ryan joined them and with a pat on Rick's shoulder hitched his bum onto Beckett's desk.

"_So how did your Big Foot chase with Espo go?_" Asked a grinning Beckett

Castle harrumphed in disgust, "_Well, if I ever mention going camping Beckett, do me a favour will you and just shoot me in the leg or something!_" making Beckett and Ryan laugh before he continued.

"_If anyone goes anywhere near the Sacandaga Lake asking about NYPD cops they'll hear plenty about a certain Javier Esposito_" he grinned, "_hell, some might even claim they saw him!_"

Beckett and Ryan looked at him with some trepidation. "_Just what did you do Castle?_" she asked, seeing the look in his face.

"_Well the first day I went to several stores, bars and bait shops on the south shore, bought a bit in each place, got chatting to the owner, mentioned that my partner was setting up camp whilst I went to pick up whatever it was they were selling. Kept getting the story round to the fact that we were a couple of cops from New York taking a few days off ... you know, what with the NYPD cap and all I really felt the part!_"

He took a sip of coffee and continued, "_Anyway I'm driving down the main street of Broadalbin, cute little town, looks like it got stuck in nineteenth century, and there's this guy standing next to a banged-up chevy with Vermont plates and a canoe tied to the roof rack._" His grin got even bigger. "_I swear that if I hadn't known Javi was here in New York I'd have had to look three times, I mean on closer inspection he didn't look so much like him, but that first glimpse of his haircut and face … it looked __just _like him. So I pull up and ask him if he'd sell the canoe. Guy looks at me as if I've just stepped out of a space ship, but I told him I just wanted to do some fishing and that maybe we could have a coffee and discuss it."

He took another sip of coffee and looked at the two of them watching him in horrified fascination, the twinkle in his eyes getting even stronger. "_So, we ended in a diner having a coffee and whenever anyone came near I'd throw 'Espo' into the conversation ... boy, Tyrell, that was his name kept looking at me like he wasn't sure if he should call the cops or not. By the time we'd had a coffee he'd decided I was not to be trusted anywhere near his canoe, but I reckon anyone asking around there or flashing a photo of Javi will be assured we were there. "_

"_After that I headed to Sunset Bay camping site and kept a low profile ... so boring! Yesterday I worked my way round to the Northampton camp site and made a number of purchases at small places, pretended to call Javi on the phone a couple of times and generally got the conversation round to the two cops on a break thing. Anyway, anyone checking on the story is going to have enough info to keep them busy for a bit_."

Just then Karpowski walked past and said "_Hey Castle, weren't you supposed to be off camping with Esposito?_"

"_That's right Detective, but I had to get back for some meetings and Javi decided to stay on … he said the fishing was too good!_"

"_Yeah, old tyres and boots probably_ .." she threw over her shoulder as she headed for the stairs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

In an apartment in Midtown, just off the Garment District, the shrill call of the phone had woken him up at ten to nine. He'd looked at the number which was unknown and hesitatingly pressed the answer button as he sat up in bed.

"_Yes?_"

"_Mr Retzki, I do not like people bringing outsiders into my city …_ "

"_Who the hell are you?_" he interrupted.

"_I am the person who will solve your problem Mr Retzki, but not for the paltry hundred and fifty your amateur shooter was charging … I'm a professional, and my fee is quarter of a million_", said the calm, quiet voice on the other end of the line.

"_What the hell are you talking about mister, I don't know what your line is … but you've chosen the wrong guy to play games with!_"

"_Watch the nine o'clock news on WKBS …. And call me if you want to talk Mr Retzki, goodbye_" and with that the line went dead.

Getting out of bed the man grabbed a dressing gown off the back of a chair and pulling it on headed into the sitting room. He turned on the TV, searched for the indicated channel and waited for whatever it was that he was supposed to watch.

"_Thank you Captain Kohltz_" as soon as the reporter turned back to the camera he turned the TV off and sat down on the couch, a frown on his face. He wasn't sure what conclusion he was supposed to draw from that bit of news, but _someone_ knew _something_ and he needed to find out just who knew what.

Standing up he headed for a window, pulled back the curtain slightly and observed the street below. It was its usual busy self, traffic almost nose to tail, pedestrians hurrying along the sidewalk, the usual Mamma Mia! fruit vendor at his stall near the intersection. There was nothing unusual down at street level.

Slowly he let his eyes wonder across the windows in the building opposite, most were offices, the people and contents clearly visible, a few had blinds or curtains drawn or some form of boarding hiding the interior, but these had been so since he'd started taking note, nothing was different as far as he could see. Of course the floors on a higher level than his were more difficult to discern, their glass reflecting his own building and the angles showing him little but ceiling lights where he could make out the details. He dropped the curtain back in place and checked his watch.

He began to pace around the room trying to come to a decision. The timetable was tight and everything should have been in place by tomorrow. But now some stranger was sticking his nose in and Artemi Retzki did not like it.

He headed back for the bedroom, picked up the phone from the bed and dialled the number he had memorised nearly a month ago. The phone rang for several minutes before going to voice mail.

Over the next hour he dialled the same number every five minutes and kept getting the same result every time. He knew something was not right, the man had guaranteed to call back within fifteen minutes at the most. He rubbed his chin, the bristle scratching against the palm of his hand. There was nothing for it, he would have to make contact, this required decisions that he was not qualified to make.

Carmela, his live-in housekeeper, having returned from dropping his son off at school and doing the shopping had brought in his breakfast which he had barely picked at, the boiled eggs un-cracked, the toast with just a few bites out of it, only the orange juice had been palatable as his nerves began to override his self-control.

When he picked up the phone this time it was to dial a different number. It was picked up at the other end and a female voice of uncertain age emitted a curt "_Si?_"

He quickly said "_Problems, we need to talk, call me back asap"_ before ending the call.

Throwing the phone back on the bed he headed for the bathroom. He would be getting a call sometime during the morning and would need to move quickly, so the sooner he was ready the better.

By eleven thirty he was pacing nervously up and down the sitting room, occasionally peering out through the partially drawn curtains and observing the scene outside for any discernible change in patterns, the typical maintenance truck or road works which Hollywood presented as the standard stakeout tools would be too obvious and complicated in these relatively narrow and extremely busy streets, but the FedEx offices below could be a suitable disguise. There was no FedEx truck parked outside though.

It was another twenty minutes before the phone rang. He made a grab for it and hit the answer button. The same female voice told him "Msg, one hour" and hung up.

Retzki ran his hands through his hair, grabbed his phone and stuck his head into the kitchen, telling Carmela that he was going out and didn't know when he'd be back. She acknowledged his comment by staring pointedly and disgustedly at the bowl of chopped up vegetables and the tray of meatballs she was in the process of preparing. He really needed to have a word with her he thought as he headed out to the lift, yes she ran the house, and yes she was good with the kids, but she was getting just a little too cocky since Renia had left him.

The pinging of the lift as it reached the foyer pulled him out of his introspective thoughts and stepping out of the lift he began to look around him. He paused by the stainless steel bin to one side of the entrance door and looked through the glass at the street outside. He was looking for anyone loitering or standing in the same place for more than a couple of minutes.

The Hotel Metro was off to the left, just visible without him pushing his face against the glass. The doorman was in his usual place, and more importantly, it was the usual guy. A couple were standing looking at the menu board outside the Metro Grill, even as he watched they turned and moved off down the street. Didi'd Duds has a group of teenagers looking through the window at the dummies draped in bright coloured clothing. A man stood smoking in the doorway next to Didi's which led up to the offices above. Retzki didn't recognise him, but he could be one of the office workers taking time out for a much needed cigarette.

Right opposite, in front of number 39, a man was allowing his dog to sniff around the fire hydrant, the yellow sign offering 'Office Space for Rent' clearly visible behind them, the concierge not so visible behind his desk in the interior gloom.

A man was standing outside the Raka Studio, looking in at the collection of artist's tools and equipment on display. Next door, one of the waiters from the Madangsui Korean restaurant was sweeping the sidewalk, head nodding in time to whatever tune was playing through his ear buds.

Outside number 35 a UPS van was pulled up, blocking any view of the street further to the right. The waving banner of the WFBC gym flapping over the van drew his attention upwards for a moment, before he brought his eyes back to the street. A few minutes later and the UPS guy was coming round the front of the van, clipboard in hand. Climbing up, he slid the door closed and was soon pulling away.

Retzki slowly swept his eyes back along the street. The waiter was still sweeping the sidewalk and the guy outside the Raka place had moved on, a couple of guys were stepping out of the door, one of them with a wrapped package under his arm. The man and his dog were no longer in sight and the smoker was just stubbing his cigarette out. Even as Retzki watched, the man turned, pushed the door behind him open and disappeared up the narrow stairs.

Stepping out, Retzki swung right and headed west along 35th Street, using the windows of the Anesis Café and the Comfort Inn to check those behind him. By the time he'd reached the graffiti painted building of Desigual on the corner he was convinced no one was following him.

With a slightly looser stride he worked his way along Sixth Avenue before making a right onto 34th still heading westwards. He stopped outside the Kay Jewellers to admire the watches on display in the window. He also used the window to check behind him, looking for the guy stopping across the road or coming to a standstill to either side. A woman in a smart exec two piece stopped at the jewellery displayed in the other window, he watched her for a bit, taking in the cut and colour of her hair, the outfit and the fact that she had no coat or bag in her hand. She turned away from the display, looked at him briefly before walking past him.

He waited, turning slightly to watch her make her way along the street, ignoring the obvious stare from one of the employees inside the shop. As soon as she was out of sight he crossed the street, heading towards Macy's and keeping an eye on the opposite side where the woman had disappeared from view.

Reaching the next intersection he stopped and looked around carefully before heading south down 7th Avenue, past the Hotel Pennsylvania before crossing over towards Penn Station.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It was Agent Valdes who came to get them this time, a simple jerk of the head letting Beckett know that there was something of import going on in the War Room. Followed by Castle and Ryan, she entered and went to stand next to Latimer as he stared up at the large flat screen on the wall.

She could feel Castle's bulk as he stood just behind her, a cigarette paper's width short of overstepping the PDA limits, and she had to hide a smile as she felt her own need to lean back into him. She managed to keep that under control and turned her attention instead to the information displayed on the screen.

**From: 917-31866541: (unknown number / cash purchase / *Assigned to Dte. JE)**

**To: 212-4781431: (Artemi Retzki / Personal Cellphone / Tapped: CO:122013/051)**

08:51:47 – Retzki: "_Yes?_"

08:52:02 – Caller (Male): "_Mr Retzki, I do not like people bringing outsiders into my city …_ "

08:52:05 - Retzki: "_Who the hell are you?_"

08:52:07 - Caller: "_I am the person who will solve your problem Mr Retzki, but not for the paltry hundred and fifty your amateur shooter was charging … I'm a professional, and my fee is quarter of a million_

08:52:53 - Retzki: "_What the hell are you talking about mister, I don't know what your line is … but you've chosen the wrong guy to play games with!_"

08:53:04 - Caller: "_Watch the nine o'clock news on WKBS …. And call me if you want to talk Mr Retzki, goodbye_"

**From: 212-4781431: (Artemi Retzki / Personal Cellphone / Tapped: CO:122013/051)**

**To: 347-1427784: (Thomas Cushing / Personal Cellphone / FBI: Impounded)**

09:07:26 Retzki called - no answer

09:10:03 Retzki called - no answer

09:15:11 Retzki called - no answer

09:20:01 Retzki called - no answer

Caller repeatedly calls every five minutes – no response

Last call to date made at 09:55:14

**From: 212-4781431: (Artemi Retzki / Personal Cellphone / Tapped: CO:122013/051)**

**To: 716-9653348: (unknown number / cash purchase / Tracing ..)**

10:03:47 – Unknown female: "Si?"

10:03:50 – Retzki: "_Problems, we need to talk, call me back asap"_

**From: 716-9653348: (unknown number / cash purchase / Tracing unsuccessful)**

**To: 212-4781431: (Artemi Retzki / Personal Cellphone / Tapped: CO:122013/051)**

11:52: Caller (Female) - "_Msg, one hour"_

"_Well looks like things are beginning to roll_" she said.

Latimer nodded, "_We're trying to work out what Msg is …_", he turned to a second screen showing the Midtown area with two coloured circles centred about halfway down West 36th and radiating outwards, the smallest of them for about two miles. "_The red one gives us the probable area assuming he goes by foot, with traffic as it is down there today even if he grabs a cab he won't get much further. The yellow one gives us a likely area should he use public transport. We'll keep adjusting them as the time ticks down … and hope they aren't talking in some code!_"

Latimer turned to one of the agents at a computer "_How are we doing with those letters?_"

Agent O'Hara shook her head, "_We're getting quite a few hits but most are in the same area, ground zero still looks to be the obvious one_".

"_Obvious one?_" piped up Ryan, his eyebrow half way up his forehead and a look of confusion on his face.

"_Madison Square Garden_" chimed in Castle a grin on his face.

Latimer turned to look at him his brow furrowed, but after a pause he nodded in assent. "_Ticks quite a few logical boxes; it's not far from Retzki's place, has multiple access points from outside the area via Penn Station, offers a number of places where a meet can go down and be relatively unobserved _… " he shrugged, "_… we'll keep checking other options, but it will probably become clearer once he moves_."

Ten minutes later and Retzki still hadn't made an appearance. Latimer looked over to the agent on the laptop "_Agent O'Hara, re-adjust the area will you?_"

"_Sir!_" a moment later both circles on the map shrunk down in size and then the map zoomed in slightly as it was resized to the screen.

Everyone sat or stood around, waiting impatiently for Artemi Retzki to make his move. Every ten minutes Agent O'Hara would reduce the size of the circles showing the distances that Retzki could cover within the remaining time span. Castle and Beckett stood against the far wall, shoulders touching as they kept an eye on the screens and listened to the various reports coming in from the FBI teams in the area.

"_What if one o'clock isn't the meeting time, what if it was just a code?_" whispered Kate in a worried voice.

Castle shrugged next to her, "_If the Square is the meeting point, he's only about a ten, fifteen minute walk away, give him another ten minutes for delays, detours, queues or whatever … he doesn't need to move till_ …" he paused to look at his watch _"…. Twelve thirty, twelve forty_".

Kate looked at the clock on the wall showing local time, it was coming up to half past twelve …. She just hoped Castle was right … well shit, of course he was, it was pretty obvious …. Just that this sitting back and waiting for things to happen got on her nerves! .. suddenly she felt him looping his pinkie through hers and had to hold back a startled laugh … yep, he could read her so easily … her shoulders relaxed and she settled her weight back against the wall squeezing his finger in silent thanks.

One of the voice links crackled into life "_Target is moving, headed northwest on West thirty-sixth towards Avenue of the Americas!_"

A different voice "_Let's see where he takes us. Keep your distance!_"

The first voice came back "_He's stopped at the corner on Americas, checking his surroundings … they must have explained about field craft, but the guy hasn't got a clue!_"

The second voice, "_I've got him, move onto the next leg, I'll take it from here … he's turned left onto Avenue of the Americas, not as keen on the surveillance checks by the look of things". _

A new voice came on, female this time, "_He's headed my way_"

Second voice, "_All yours_"

Female voice, "_Turned right onto West Thirty-Fourth Street_**"**

In the war room the screen with the map of Midtown had lost its circles and was now showing a zig-zag path of progress which was undoubtedly heading in the direction of Madison Square Garden. It was too early for fist bumping, but the atmosphere in the room was a little less strained. Kate felt someone move up next to her and turning to look was not surprised to find Captain Gates had joined them. They nodded to each other but turned towards the speaker as the female voice came on.

"_Damn, I think he's made me!_"

First voice, "_It's ok, got both of you in sight ….. he's definitely suspicious of you, best you move back out of the area … he's crossing over but still coming towards me_" there were a few minutes of silence then "… _ok, he's turned left onto 7th Avenue … staying to the left-hand sidewalk … shit! He's crossing!_"

Second voice, "_He's heading for Penn Station! They have over half a million rail commuters a day ... if he gets in amongst them we don't stand a chance … I want one of you stuck to him like a limpet!_"

The easing tension of the War Room had suddenly ratcheted upwards again as everyone leant forwards, almost as if they were physically willing the tracking team to close in. Only then did Kate realise that she, Castle and Gates had all moved forwards into the centre of the room, trying to get closer to the tracking map and the speakers … as if that would help in some way. She and Castle still had their little fingers looped together and she quickly pulled apart, the slightly guilty look on Rick's face as he glanced in Gates' direction almost making her smile.

A slightly relieved second voice came back on "_Everyone ease back, he's ignored the entrance … not heading for the Square either … still moving southwest on seventh … one, drop back, four close up_".

The order went unanswered, but a new voice on the speaker let them all know that the change had been made. "_Turning right onto West Thirty-First Street_** …"**

A few moments later the same voice "_He's crossing over towards_ … " then in a slightly puzzled tone "… _the Capuchin Monastery?_"

Next to her Castle couldn't resist blurting out in an awed, but thankfully hushed voice "_That's it! The secret assassination arm of the Vatican is planning to shoot the ….. ooff!_" he broke off as her elbow made more than light contact with his midriff, although she didn't miss a couple of amused glances from some of the Agents in the room.

"_Still heading northwest on Thirty-First … no! Wait, he's entered the Park an' Lock!"_

The second voice came back on "_Quick! Get to the security cameras in the cashier's … see if you can find out where he's headed. Everyone else, close in!_"

Latimer turned to Agent Valero, "_Get a van down there, outside the entrance, I want the plates of every vehicle that goes in or out of that place photographed and traced. Also pull up any traffic cam or security footage from the previous three … no, make that four hours showing cars heading into that place. Send someone to the Square's security office; their cameras should cover the area!_"

Valero nodded and turned back to his keyboard as Latimer picked up a radio. "_Cooper?_"

"_Sir?_" came back the voice that Kate had silently identified as voice number four.

"_Have you been able to find him?_"

"_In the lift and heading for the fourth floor sir, the others are heading up in another li … a moment sir … he's left the lift and is heading towards the south corner …. damn, the camera doesn't cover … just a sec .. I've got him … heading towards a … Chevrolet TrailBlazer … blue … I can't make the plates out, these cameras are cra … sorry, rubbish, sir!_"

"_Crap's fine Cooper, make sure the team IDs the driver and occupants but doesn't scare them off!_"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Artemi Retzki was sweating slightly as he approached the SUV in the gloomy area of the parking lot. He wanted to put it down to the brisk walk and the fright when he'd thought the woman might have been following him, but in the back of his mind he reluctantly admitted that part of the cause was undoubtedly the meeting with the person waiting for him in the vehicle.

The routine, though rarely used, was well imprinted on his mind so he opened the passenger door and climbed into the front seat, making sure he did not glance backwards at any time. Once seated he studiously kept his eyes forward, looking out the windscreen though not really taking anything in. An instinctive and he hoped imperceptible glance at the rear-view mirror showed him that it was turned up and away offering him nothing but a view of the black plastic covering its back.

The voice came from behind him, the figure he had been unwilling and unable to make out sitting in the rear seat immediately behind him, no doubt with a gun pointing right at his spine … Retzki was unable to suppress a shudder and the sardonic laughter from the rear seat told him it had not gone unobserved.

"_So, you were not followed_" It was not a question, or at least not phrased as one. Any answer to the contrary and he would not be going home to see his kids. Any slight misgivings about the woman in the grey outfit were quickly and firmly quashed and he shook his head.

"_No, I checked the street all morning and then made sure I wasn't followed as I made my way here_" he licked his lips as he felt them suddenly dry. "_But we have a problem_"

"_Am I supposed to read your mind or are you going to tell me about it Mr Retzki?_" The voice was calm but cold and Artemi licked his lips before continuing.

"_This morning I got a call from an unknown number. He said somethin' about not liking outsiders being brought into his city_ …" he swallowed and tried to remember the conversation held earlier that morning "…. _he said somethin' about solving our … well he said my … problem …. And that it would cost quarter of a million!_"

There was silence from the back and he could feel the eyes boring into the back of his head, it was all he could do to sit still and not turn around to plead ..

"_And you set up this meeting on just that!_" the voice was chilling; the angry undertones making him cringe in his seat.

"_No … no! … it wasn't just that! He told me to watch the local nine o'clock news and to contact him if I wanted to talk_ …" he paused to take a deep breath, trying to get some control into his voice _"… I did, and there was a news item about an accident last night on FDR drive near Stuyvesant, a car ended up in the river and the police obviously suspect foul play, there was something about false plates and the suspicion that another vehicle might have run it off the road_ … "

He had to restrain himself from turning and pleading his case, this talking to someone behind you, unable to judge facial expressions and reactions was highly unnerving and not for the first time, Artemi Retzki wished he hadn't got himself involved in this mess. He was about to continue when a man came out of the lifts at the far end of the parking lot and began walking towards them. He was tall and well built, hair cut short and dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck, tie pulled down loose and his jacket slung over his arm. The voice behind him said nothing so Artemi assumed he was also watching the approaching figure. The man reached the red BMW parked in the bay across from them and key in hand turned his back as he went to open the boot. He paused, pulled a phone from his pocket and looked at it before pulling a face and answering. After a fair amount of gesticulating and disgusted looks he slipped the phone back into his pocket, slung his jacket over his shoulder and headed back to the lift, one clearly pissed-off citizen.

As soon as the lift doors had closed, the sharp "_Continue!_" from behind pulled Artemi Retzki back to the present situation.

"_Well, as soon as the report ended I tried contacting our shoo … the guy. His phone kept going to voicemail. I kept trying for the next hour. Our arrangements were that he would always get back within a fifteen minute window. I've tried it a couple of times since and still no answer …. But I'm beginning to think that maybe he's no longer available_ …" his voice petered out as he waited for some reaction from behind. For several moments there was nothing, and Artemi could feel his body tensing in anticipation of a bullet coming from behind and …

"_You have the phone?_"

Artemi nodded, pulled his cell phone from his pocket and passed it back over his shoulder. He felt it pulled from his hand and waited, quietly hoping that his actions would be considered correct given the circumstances.

"_Go back to your place using a different route, make sure you are not being followed! I will deal with this … oh and Mr Retzki, tell me, how are your son and daughter?_"

The barely veiled threat was not lost on Atemi as he swallowed and managed to say that they were fine. Climbing out of the vehicle and walking towards the lift was an agonising process for him as he expected any minute to feel the impact of a bullet. As the lift doors closed behind him he almost collapsed, dragging air into his lungs and bending over, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to get himself back under control.

Back in the SUV the figure, who had remained in the rear of the vehicle was drumming the fingers of his left hand on his knee, the right hand still gripping the Beretta 90 Two 40 S&W resting on top of his thigh and still casually pointing at the seat in front of him. He turned to look at the phone on the seat beside him, a frown on his face. Eventually, he leant forwards between the seats and hit the indicator lever, allowing the lights to flash a couple of times before knocking it back off.

A big, heavily muscled body guard detached himself from a pillar hidden in gloom some twenty feet to the right and made his way to the SUV, pulling open the driver's door and climbing in, the vehicle swaying on its springs as it adjusted to the new occupant.

"_Todo bien, Señor?_"

"_No! Ve con cuidado y estate atento, quiero saber si nos están siguiendo_"

With a silent nod the driver started up the engine, checked the scene around him and pulled out. He already knew from his walk around when they first arrived that none of the cars on this floor had occupants in them and he had kept an eye on departures and new arrivals from the pillar where he had been hidden from view by the dark shadows and faulty lighting, the butt of his Ruger SR9 making sure that the already flickering strip lighting remained permanently off. However, if the boss wanted him to keep an eye out in case they were being followed, he wanted to know if any of the cars on this floor were going to be behind him on the way out.

He carefully observed the cashier in the booth as he slipped the ticket into the machine, noted he was the same guy that had been there when they'd arrived earlier, the barrier swept up and sideways and he edged the car forwards, pausing at the entrance to observe both the vehicles exiting the parking behind him and those stationed outside. Two NYPD patrol cars and a nondescript van drew particular attention as did the cream coloured Honda Accord which was in the queue two cars behind.

A gap in the traffic and he was out onto West 31st and moving north west, his eyes flickering between the traffic ahead and the vehicles behind. Crossing 8th Avenue he saw the Honda swing right whilst his mirrors showed no sign of patrol cars or vans. At the intersection on 9th Avenue he swung left, travelled one block and took another left onto West 29th, under the overhead structure connecting the two post office buildings. Another left turn and he was on 10th Avenue and heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

After a further check he glanced in the now properly re-positioned mirror at his boss, "_Todo limpio señor, no nos sigue nadie_". The man in the back slipped his automatic into the holster under his armpit and allowed himself to relax for the first time since Retzki had slipped into the car in the park n' lock. Now, with Carlos' assurance of not being tailed, he could turn his attention onto the real problem, what to do about the mysterious caller and their apparently missing assassin.

It's possible, that had either occupant been aware of the helicopter slowly moving across the New York skyline well above them that they may not have felt quite so confident. Had they been aware of the interest in what the traffic cams along the route they were following had to offer, they most certainly would not have felt like relaxing.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The mood back in the War Room at the 12th precinct could hardly be called relaxed either; satisfied might better describe it, though no one was counting chickens just yet. Agent Valdes was running '_Prognosys'_, an experimental software that could be fed information such as current position, route and direction with the program returning probable directions and destinations depending on traffic conditions, road works and logical progression.

"_How accurate is it?_" asked Captain Gates as they looked at the green and blue lines extending from the SUV's current position in the car park, both lines curving left along West 31st, the green one, showing a higher probability, continuing across the intersection of 31st and 8th before coming to a point at the intersection with 9th, whilst the blue line curved right at the intersection with 8th and continued as far as the intersection with West 40th.

Valdes shrugged, "_Probably not very, especially somewhere as built up as Manhattan. But assuming they don't break any traffic rules and head the wrong way up one-way-streets and things like that, it will allow us to position vehicles ahead of them and cut down the chance of them picking up a tail. If they head out of the city towards residential areas then it'll be more accurate; less opportunities for them to turn off or backtrack"_.

"_What if they turn off somewhere before reaching the vehicle ahead?_" asked Castle.

"_As I said, the system's experimental, so we're not relying on it exclusively, as long as we can keep track of them with the chopper and traffic cams, we won't need to have the tailing vehicle too close to them. What the system will allow us to do is let one of the waiting cars pull out slightly ahead of them and then allow itself to get passed whilst the other tailing vehicles turns off and leapfrogs them. With the four cars it should allow us to track them without being too obvious_".

A few moments later voice number two, whom Kate and Castle had identified as the team leader, could be heard on the speaker, "_Foxtrot_"

Latimer reached the radio with a single stride "_Go ahead Foxtrot_"

"_Vehicle plates are New Jersey, Victor Mike Hotel Three Three One …. Repeat …. Victor Mike Hotel Three Three One_"

"_You were discreet?_"

"_Yes sir, made it look like I was going to my car before getting a phone call which called me back. I can't be one hundred per cent certain, but I think there was someone off to the right of the car … probably body guard, but difficult to make out … made sneaking round there a bit awkward_".

"_Ok, good work, just make sure they don't see you again. Oh and Hendricks_ …"

"_Sir?_"

"_Don't lose them!_"

"_We won't sir_"

Turning to O'Hara, Latimer raised an enquiring eyebrow.

"_Vehicle is registered to Bayshore Enterprises ... Newark_" she returns after a few minutes.

"_Ok, I want everything you can find on Bayshore Enterprises; activity, management, personnel, finances, history, anything and everything ... let's get to it!_"

Captain Gates slipped out of the War Room and returned to her office, however much this case might be intriguing, she still had a precinct to run and murders, robberies, fights, traffic accidents and politicians would not simply fade away.

It was about ten minutes later before the voice Kate and Rick now knew to be Hendricks' was back on the radio, "_Target one now leaving vehicle, do you want us to continue surveillance?_"

"_Negative, let him go, we'll have a team bring him in later, keep eyes on Tango two_" was Latimer's response.

"_We have a new Tango, looks like a bodyguard …. he's climbed into the driver's seat …. vehicle is now heading for the ramp_"

"_Ok, get your team out of sight until they've cleared the building then head for your units, we'll give you instructions when you report in_". Latimer turned to the screen with the satellite imaging and tapped the area near the Madison Square Garden complex. The map zoomed in. Another tap and it zoomed in even further, showing the details of streets and buildings. It wasn't live feed, their case didn't rank high enough yet to get that, but it did show the area as it had been earlier in the day.

"_Victor one, VOI will be exiting any time now, make sure you get shots of both driver and passenger, probably rear seat!_"

"_Copy_"

Several minutes passed before the voice was heard again, "_VOI now in sight …._" even over the radio the high speed shuttering of the cameras could be heard _"… now heading down thirty-first … pics have been transmitted sir_"

"_This is Skycam Hotel Bravo India, we have your VOI in sight, Blue Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Victor Mike Hotel Three Three One, please confirm"_

Latimer again picked up the radio "_This is Control, VOI confirmed!_"

"_Roger Control, VOI is now heading north west across intersection of thirty-first and eigth_ …"

One of the techs at the back of the room called over and Latimer Beckett and Castle went over to look at his computer screen. The man pointed to the images "_I'll need about ten minutes to blend the images sir, and then I should be able to run them through the facial recognition software, see what we come up with_".

"Why the two images?"

"_One's infra-red, the other normal, with the tinted windows, movement and reflections, the standard image loses too much definition, the infra-red ones give us better feature definition but not much in the way of details, by blending both together we should be able to obtain relatively well defined features and details_".

"_Ok, let me know as soon as you have something_" and with a tap on his back Latimer straightened up and headed back to the front of the room.

For the next fifteen minutes they listened in to the police chopper as it radioed in the position of the Chevy and both logic and 'Prognosys' pointed towards the Lincoln Tunnel.

Then Hendricks' voice came over the speakers, "_Units one and two in position at five-twenty-first and West-Fortieth … tunnel access in view._"

"_Unit one, take point, VOI should be there within a few minutes, unit two, wait for them to go past then follow!_" from Latimer.

"_Copy, Control_" from both units.

As both units headed into the tunnel, the first about a dozen vehicles in front of the TrailBlazer, the second only about four cars behind but in the other lane, Agent Valdes swapped the image from satellite to traffic cams. The poor lighting made identifying any but the vehicles closest to the cameras difficult, but eventually he was able to ID each of the three and tag them. As the screen jumped from one cam's view to the next, the circled vehicles were easier to follow.

O'Hara handed a printout to Latimer who studied it for moment before turning to Valdes "_Ok, Bayshore Enterprises, Imports and Export, dealing principally with the Middle East, Asia, and South America … offices are at 5 Edison Place, Newark"._

Agent Valdes quickly typed in the address and the Prognosys screen showed the probable route marked in green as being the New Jersey Turnpike before turning left onto Interstate-95 South as far as Exit 15W onto the Newark/Kearny toll.

Latimer quickly informed the units and told Hendricks to move ahead onto the Turnpike before slowing down and allowing the Chevy to overtake them shortly before Exit 15W.

Beckett asked _"And if they turn off for Hoboken or Union City?" _

"_The second unit should be able to keep them covered until Hendricks can reach the next exit and double back … Jersey will be lending us air support_ …." He looked at his watch "… _hopefully before they reach Interstate-ninety-five, so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed_".

As the tailing units called in the route, those in the War Room began to breathe a bit easier, whether by luck or not, it seemed that the VOI was following the indicated route, and about five minutes later a further easing of nerves came after the New Jersey Police chopper locked onto the Chevy and began shadowing it from afar. Though the lack of tall buildings made it both easier and riskier as they would be easily spotted if either occupant happened to look in their direction, the sight of a police chopper near the interstate would not be unusual.

It was as they were approaching a junction 17B on Interstate 280 that the air of general satisfaction in the room took a small hit.

"_VOI is taking exit 17B onto Newark Turnpike_" came from the chopper

Cursing could be heard from Hendricks as he found himself about a mile ahead and would now need to find the next turning and double back. The second unit was able to follow the Chevy onto the exit, keeping a delivery truck and two cars between them.

"_VOI now heading onto Harrison Avenue_ …" again the chopper pilot keeping them informed. "… _now turning left onto Supor Boulevard_"

"_Vehicle has now entered industrial complex …. has pulled up outside building at western edge of complex … two story warehouse by the looks of it … one … no two, repeat two, people exiting vehicle …. You want me to continue up here? I'm going to look a bit obvious circling up here_ …."

"_Control, we have eyes on the complex …. Supor Industrial Park, looks like just the one entrance_" from the second unit.

"_Ok, thank you sky bird, we'll take it from here_"

"_Roger, have fun_"

"_Anything on facials yet?_" Latimer called out to the tech

"_Nothing yet sir_"

"_Valdes, where's unit one?_"

"_They're at exit sixteen, just south of the complex, should be there in about ten, Sir_"

Latimer ran his fingers through his hair, "_Ok, let me know as soon as they're in place_ .." before turning to O'Hara "… _what connection between Bayshore Enterprises and Supor Industrial Park?"_

O'Hara looked up at her boss, "_None so far, but if there's any paperwork it should show up soon, most of the info on Bayshore Enterprises is in, it's just going to be a question of going through it and correlating it all" _her puffed out cheeks giving everyone present an idea of the work involved.

"_Right, we'll be briefing everyone in half an hour, try and get me as much as possible by then. Detective_ …", with a look at Beckett and a jerk of his head indicating that he wished to have a word outside.


End file.
